IP Community Chat
 

:welcome2:
Welcome back to the Daily Chat thread - post your plans for today, share what's been happening, ask questions!

Some forum lingo:
NSV = Non-scale victory
TOM = time of the month
WI = Weigh-in
WF = Walden Farms
OP = on plan

Bookmarking:
Ideal Protein Sub-forum Home page
Consider making it a bookmark or a favorite in your browser so you can come back easily to get your RDA of Ideal Protein information.

Information for newbies:
Check the sticky page (top of forum, above all the topics) for lots of good information and please read here before asking what might be a frequently asked question: Information on Ideal Protein phases (1-4), IP Ultimate List Recipes, FAQ, Newbie Guide, Exercise, and other Important Threads,
and here are the most recent Ideal Protein Protocol sheets

And before you cheat, read this thread:
The Real Cost of Cheating on Ideal Protein

Before starting new threads: spend some time reading the forum. Most new threads are duplicates, triplicates, quadruplicates. Folks who are the most successful, make time for research/reading.

Recipes Here
Ideal Protein Diet Recipes #4 -current thread open for posting
Recipe thread #3
Tips and Recipes from the Incredible Weight Loss Center
Fun with Ideal Protein Packets
Fun with Veggie Purees!
Mix'n in the kitchen...Recipes from the Rainbow
MiX'N' iN THE KiTCH'N.... Recipes from the Rainbow Volume 2
Here are a couple "older" .pdf files of many of Rainbow's recipes: Rainbowsmiles Recipes
and Rainbows IP Inspired Alternative Recipes

For those looking for alternative products
Here is a thread with tons of info. Spend some time in it. http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/idea...phase-1-a.html
And here is a link to a chart to help you choose appropriate products

Tickers and Signatures:
There are 2 requirements to have access to signatures and tickers. You must have been a member of 3fatchicks for 20 days AND posted at least 20 messages anywhere on the 3fatchicks forum. When you've met those requirements check The Ultimate Signature and Ticker Thread for more information and instructions.

Quoting:
The best quoting tip - EVER!! Thanks Rosie, aka 6710.

Searching:
If you can't find what you're looking for in this forum using the website search function, try using the "double search" using Google.

1) Go to Google.com. Search 3fatchicks by using the term site:3fatchicks.com at the end of your Google search.

For example, if you want to look for "big mac in a bowl", type "big mac in a bowl site:3fatchicks.com" in Google search. No need to include the quotation marks when you type.

2) This will bring up the page that you are looking for, now hit Ctrl+F to search on that page. Type "big mac in a bowl" and all instances of that search term will be highlighted.

Progress photos
Mini-Goal Photo Album.

Other helpful links related to the Ideal Protein Dr. Chanh Tran Tien's website
Link to a pdf of the doctor's book here.
Note: this is not the same as the current IP plan.

Constipation????
 

This just my first week and I knew it was going to come, but what are others doing when constipation becomes an issue. My coach says "Smooth Move" tea, but it is so ungodly horrible and it gripes me because it contains Senna, so I asked about Aloe Vera Juice 100% because it does not have any carbs or calories. I will be having surgery soon, and I am sure if I am having an issue now it will be worse after that :(. Any thoughts/suggestions are appreciated.

I just take Exlax once or twice a week to make sure everything is moving, but to keep my body from learning to rely on them. Works for me. :shrug:

There is at least one (and probably more) thread with constipation in the title - it is good to learn to use the forum search tool to find threads or individual posts. The advanced search lets you specify more details and will be so helpful to you if you are in this for many weeks or months.

Meanwhile check out the link. Avalon recommended Ultimate Flora - I used their 7 day treatment and now take their daily capsule for healthy gut bacteria. It is working well.

Happy Monday IPeeps - I am in SC taking care of some property matters and enjoying some retail therapy. I found I am down from 18/20 to 12 Petite for pants, and size medium often for tops, band size down an inch for bra, and I found some new basics to help get me into warm weather.
I brought my Aria scale along since it is a road trip, and I am doing pretty well staying OP as I am cooking most of the time rather than full time eating out.
All is good here. Heading home tomorrow.

Hope everyone is off to a good start this week.
March is ending and April is starting - those of us in the DietBet Transformer game that began in January will be doing the round 3 weigh in... I have made my Round 3 goal and am very close to the overall 10 percent of Jan Start weight that I need to lose by June 30. I am looking forward to some good winnings to pay for my retail therapy and IP foods!

Thanks oneuh2!

Since the Cal-Mag capsules were the first of my official IP vitamins to run out, I've been taking Natural Calm at night. That, uh, keeps things moving nicely. :o It also helps me sleep, in a way that the Cal-Mag supplements didn't seem to. And it's pretty tasty, I think. (SERIOUSLY, though, if you buy that stuff, DO NOT START WITH 2 TSP. Start with less than one. It is VERY effective. :))

Obviously, I'm also supplementing with calcium; I went with some Calcium and D supplements, which I take with dinner. But if you wanted to be more in line with IP, you could get the version of Calm that has calcium.

I also take Ex-Lax when it becomes an issue, but here are two simple dietary tricks that may help:-

1. Increase your water consumption
2. Go for very fiber dense veggies - think greens - and salad with raw onion

If you are concerned about post-surgical constipation talk to your doctor, and see about having prescription laxatives/softeners to ease you over that recovery period. Hopefully your doc knows you're on a ketogenic diet. :)

Thanks Amanda!
I will increase my water I am getting in 110oz daily now, and I do eat a lot of spinach. Hopefully this will work. I have not talked to my Gynie doctor about this plan, she pushes another plan. ;-)

Deep breath
 

Hello everyone. I am excited and nervous to re-start IP tomorrow (Tuesday). I did IP 18 months ago, lost 9 lbs in one week - but I was miserable because of an un-dxed thyroid issue, so I quit. It was the most unpleasant way to lose weight that I have ever experienced. HOWEVER, now I have my thyroid under control, and I'm ready to go! Tonight I went to the store and got all my veggies, water, water enhancers, keto stix, pill organizer, etc. I told hubby today about me going back on IP, and he was very encouraging. And also realistic: he had concerns for me as the last time I did IP (100%) the first few days were difficult, to say the least. :cry: TAKING A DEEP BREATH. I can do this. Everyone on this forum are so encouraging and positive. Thank you for your tips, kind words of encouragement, and support. I will need it!

:grouphug:

:wave: Hypothyroid here too since 2008! Before my Rx I thought I was having a heart attack or going into congestive heart failure b/c of the palps! My doctor said this is one of the best plans out there for hypo's. You can do this!

Fair warning - and I am speaking from my personal perspective: bare in mind everyone is different. You don't detail what issues you had last year , but as a diagnosed, medicated & well under-control person with a thyroid condition, I will honestly say that the first 10 days of IP, as your body is detoxing and entering ketosis (aka keto-flu), isn't a barrel of laughs.

Some of the symptoms I experienced:
hunger
coldness
tiredness (fairly extreme)
brain-fog
ketosis-breath (metallic taste in the mouth)
cravings (mostly for chips)

Again, not everyone is the same, and untreated hypothyroid could have exasperated some of these issues.

Be sure to follow protocol and get your salt (& I also make sure to take a 1/4tsp a day of salt substitute, which is potassium).

It IS temporary though :) The worst for me was over in about 10 days - but it took 3 weeks to really feel good. Others are much faster. Give it some time - and give your hubby a little warning (mine was used to it lol).

Thank you for sharing your personal experience! For reals!! If I know what to expect, it will be more manageable for me to just plow through. If there is an end in sight for the keto flu, I can do it. It's the not knowing that I can't handle.

Basically last time I was hungry all the time, insanely tired and

LETHARGIC, cold, and depressed. And I did IP 100%- no cheats. While my body was able to get into ketoacidosis, my mental state was like being in a thick fog. Without the carbs to boost my energy, my un-dxed hypothrodic self went into self preservation mode.

I kept waiting for the happy boost that so many IPers talked about after getting into keto, but even going into legitimate keto, I was still operating in robot mode.

But oh my gosh!! 9 lbs in one week! The diet absolutely worked! It was awesome to see those results, esp. because nothing worked before. I know if I stay on plan I will lose again, too. So thanks for your very helpful share about what it's like being a medicated hypo (as now I am too) on the first few days of IP.

Morning all! I weighed in last night at my clinic and was down 2.8--which makes up for my slight gain last week! I'm now officially down just over 20 pounds!! I also have to retire the pants I wore to work yesterday, as they are just too big. That's a huge NSV for me, as just two months ago, I was squeezing into those same pants.

Redonkulous, I have no experience with thyroid issues, but I wanted to wish you luck in the first days as you get through the keto-flu! I'm sure if you can stick with it through that, it'll be smooth sailing the rest of the way :) Hysteria gives some great advice, and always has good tips and tricks.

Mimi47 - so sorry I haven't responded. I was on vacation since last Thursday and haven't been checking in here. I did the meal replacement the first week and skipped it the second week. Skipping it did not make any difference. I'm not sure their reasoning behind it but I don't feel it is necessary. Have you been using it? I didn't like the taste at all.

Just a little note, folks. There is a big difference between ketosis and ketoacidosis. You might wish to google for the medical definition of the words to see how important it is. ;)
Trying not to be picky :^: but we don't want to get the two mixed up.

Thank you for the clarification, canadjineh! You're right, there is a big difference between ketosis and ketoacidosis. It is my hope that you can look past my verbal slip-up, and understand that within the given context, ketosis is the word that I intended.

"Most people need love and acceptance a lot more than they need advice."
—Bob Goff